Japan PM keeps pledge to mark 1952 return of sovereignty

March 11, 2013|Reuters

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe'sgovernment decided on Tuesday to hold a ceremony to mark therestoration of Japan's sovereignty seven years after defeat inWorld War Two, a sign of his drive to repair what conservativesconsider dented national pride.

The popular 58-year-old Abe, who returned to office when hisparty swept back to power in a December poll, wants to revisethe post-war, U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution and rewriteJapan's wartime history with a less apologetic tone.

His Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had pledged in the campaign to make April 28 "Restoration of Sovereignty Day", tomark the day in 1952 when the San Francisco Peace Treaty tookeffect, formally ending World War Two and the Allied Occupation.

"There are an increasing number of young people who do notknow that there existed a seven-year occupation period underwhich Japan lost its sovereignty," Abe told a parliamentarypanel on Thursday to explain the plan, Kyodo news agency said.

Some Japanese business executives worry that Abe, who hasbeen focusing on policies to revive Japan's stagnant economy,may shift gears to his hawkish security and historicalrevisionist agenda after a July upper house election that hisruling bloc needs to win to cement its grip on power.

Abe enjoys support rates of around 70 percent, largely onhopes for his "Abenomics" mix of big spending and hyper-easymonetary policies, but some political experts question how muchbacking there was for his parallel non-economic agenda.

"I think that for the right, the meaning of Sovereignty Dayis to celebrate the end of a foreign occupation that imposedalien ideas and institutions on Japan," said Columbia Universitypolitical science professor Gerry Curtis.

"Abe wants 'regime change' but most Japanese appear happy tohave the regime the occupation made possible - democracy, peace,freedom, prosperity - rather than what they had before."

The plan has upset some residents of Japan's southern islandof Okinawa, which remained under U.S. control for another twodecades after 1952. Okinawa is still reluctant host to the bulkof U.S. military forces in Japan.

"We should not forget the history of hardships of Okinawa and should continue working on easing Okinawa's burdenin hosting the (U.S. military) bases," Kyodo quoted ChiefCabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga as telling a cabinet meeting ina nod to Okinawan sensitivities.